Decorative illuminated device



April 1938. A. L. BUSCHMAN 2,115,358

DECORATIVE ILIQUMINATED DEVICE Filed Feb. 25, 1935 5&4.

minty/m i so Patented Apr. 26, 1938 UNITED STATES PA ENT oFFics 9Claims.

This invention relates to decorative illuminated devices, such asChristmas wreaths and the like articles.

An object of the invention is to provide a neat and ornamental device ofthe character described which shall be comparatively inexpensive tomanufacture, comprise few and simple parts, be easy to assemble anddisassemble and which shall yet be attractive in appearance andpractical and efficient to a high degree.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in parthereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts which will beexemplifled in the construction hereinafter described, and of which thescope of application will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawing, in which is shown one of the variouspossible embodiments of this invention,

Fig. l. is a front view of a device embodying the invention with partsbroken away to show the interior construction;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the device shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 2a is a detail view of a portion of the wreath;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken'on line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail view of a portion of the lamp and itsholder;

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on line B-6 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but illustrating a modifiedconstruction.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, l0 designates a device embodyingthe invention here shown for the purpose of illustration in the form ofa decorative Christmas wreath. The device if] comprises a flat annularbacking member I I made of any suitable insulating material and anannular member l2 of substantially semi-circular or channelcross-section, fitted on and attached to the member H The member ll maybe received just within the inner and outer circular rims or end edgesI4 and !5 of the member [2. At the bottom of the member l2, the outerrim I5 is formed with a tab or extension 16 having a slot 5? receivingtherethrough a tab or extension is on the member I I. At a diametricallyopposite point from the tab l8 the outer rim l5 of member 12 is formedwith a resilient extension I 9 adapted to engage the outer edge of themember 1 l. The member II is thus retained in assembled position by thetab l8 within the slot l1 and the spring extension is engaging the outeredge of the member ll. 5

Fixed to the inner surface of the member I I are a plurality of spacedradially extending similar lamp mountings 22. Each mounting 22 comprisesa flat substantially rectangular plate 23 of insulating material fixedto the inner surface of the member II by a pair of spaced rivets 24 and25. Each plate 23 is formed with a perpendicular slot 26 and a pair ofparallel slots 21 disposed on opposite sides of the slot 26 and disposedperpendicular thereto. Extending through the slot 23 is. an arm 29 of anangle-shaped member 39, said member having an'arm 3| disposed betweenthe plate 23 and the member H and being formed with an opening for therivet 25. Arm 23has an opening 29a for the purpose hereinafter apapearing.

Extending through the parallel slots 21 are arms 32 of symmetricalmembers 33, each having an outwardly extending arm 34 lying flat againstthe inner surface of the member H and disposed between the plate 23 andsaid member H. The arms 34 preferably extendbeyond the side edges .ofthe plate 23 asat 34a. The arms 32 are curved inwardly and are formedwith parallel grooves 35 on the inner surfaces thereof. Said arms 32 arepreferably resilient; and frictionally received between said arms is anelectric incandescent lamp or bulb 36 having a downwardly projectingportion 3lreceived within opening 29a in the arm 29 of member 30. Withinthe lamp 36 is a filament 38 having parallelterminal portions 39extending exteriorly of the lamp at diametrically opposite sides thereofand adapted to be received within the grooves 35 of the arms 32. Thefilament thus has electrical contact with the arms 32.

The members 33 are insulated from one another when the lamp 36 isremoved. However, when said lamp is inserted between the arms 32, thefilament interconnects saidarms. The portions 33a of the arms 34 whichproject beyond the plate 23 are interconnected to projecting portions ofcurrent. It will be noted that the lamps 36 are connected in seriescircuit and may be easily removed for replacement should the filamentbreak.

The member [2 may beformed with a plurality of openings of any suitableornamental shape, for example, star-shaped, as shown in Fig. 1 of thedrawing for the purpose of illustration. Outwardly extending flanges 46may be formed at said openings and received within said openings, andattached to said flanges by cement or in any other suitable manner areplates or discs 41 of any suitable light transmitting material.

There may also be attached to the inner edges of the member l2ornamental members 50 located in the plane of member II and in thecentral opening of said member. The members 50 may be made of sheetmaterial and may be of any suitable ornamental shape, for example,spelling the words"Merry Xmas. The ends of said members 53 may becemented. or otherwise attached to the, inner edges of said member I2;

In Fig. 7 there is shown amodified construction wherein the resilientgripping arms 32a which grip the bulb or lamp 36 are integrallyconnected with conductors 39 attached to the inner surface of the memberII.

It will be further noted that the lamps 36 are not aligned with members41, to eliminate glare'through said members. The lamp mounting units andlamp may be first assembled on member H which may then be attached tomember 12. If a lamp burns out, the member ll may easily be removed topermit replacement of said lamp.

It will thus be'seen that there is provided a device in which theseveral objects of this invention are achieved, and which is welladapted to made of the above invention, and as various changes might bemade in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that allmatter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawing, is to beinterpreted asillustrative and not in a limiting sense. .7

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent: 1. A decorative illuminating wreath of the characterdescribed and adapted to be illuminated from within comprising a diskmember, an annular opaque member of channel-shaped crosssection attachedto said disk member in such manner that said first member closes thechannel in said channel-shaped member to form a substantiallylight-proof channel, a plurality of lamp' said disk, said lamp unitsbeing interconnected by electrical conductors, and a lamp mounted oneach unit adapted to illuminate the interior of said channel.

2. A decorative unit'of the character described adaptedto be illuminatedfrom within, compris- .tab extension therethrough, and a resilient tabon said ring-like member, spaced from said slot and engaging an edge ofsaid first fiat member. 3. A decorative unit .of the character describedadapted to beilluminated from within,comprising a ring-like member ofchannel-shaped cross-section, an annular fiat member, having a tabextension on the outer-periphery thereof, closing the light, and asource of light in said channel adapted to shine through said coverings.

4. A decorative illuminating unit comprising an annular member ofchannel-shaped crosssection, an annular flat member, having a tabextension on the outer periphery'thereof, closing the rear of saidchannel-shaped member,

the outer rim edge-of said channel-shaped mem- 1 ber-being formed with aslot receiving said tab extension therethrough, a resilient tab on saidchannel-shaped member, spaced from said slot and engaging an edge ofsaid first flat'member,

said channel-shaped member being formed with a plurality of openingsandlight transmitting members within said opening, and .a plurality oflamps mounted on the inner side of the first member and being disalignedwith respect to said openings.

5. A decorative illuminating Christmas wreath I comprising a fiatannular member, anannular member of channel-shaped cross-sectionremovably attached to said first member, whereby said first membercloses the channel of said second member, a plurality of lamps attachedto the I inner side of said first member,"said channelshaped memberbeing formed with a plurality of window openings and light transmittingmembers within said openings, said lamps being disaligned with respecttosaid window openings.

6. A decorative illuminating Christmas wreath comprising a flat annularmember having a central decorative portion, asecond annular memberhaving a portion adjacent the periphery thereof of channel-shaped crosssection and a central decorative portion of said first member is visible7 through said aperture, and a plurality of lamps attached to the innerside of said first member and disposed within said channel portion ofsaid second member.

'7. A lamp socket for a decorative device of the character describedadapted to be illuminated from within, comprising .a member, aninsulating plate attached thereto, said plate being provided.

with a slot and a pair of slots disposed on opposite sides of said firstslot, an angle-shaped member having an arm extending through said firstslot, said arm being provided with an aperture adapted to support a'portion of an electric bulb therein, a second arm received between saidplate and said first member, and a pair of symmetrically disposedmembers having spring arms extending through said pair of slots, andarms disposed between said plate and said first member, said spring armsbeing adapted to receive said electric incandescent bulb frictionallytherebetween, and to cause electrical contact with said inner surface ofsaid disk member and adapted mounted on each of said plates and adaptedto frictionally receive between them an electric lamp for illuminatingthe interior of said hollow ring member.

9. A decorative illuminating device of the character describedcomprising a hollow ring member open at the back, removable closuremeans for covering said open portion, said closure means comprising adisk member provided with a plurality of lamp receiving units attachedto the inner surface of said disk member and adapted to be disposedwithin said hollow ring member, said units being interconnected byelectrical conductors, insulating plates disposed between said units andsaid disk, a pair of spring arms mounted on each of said plates andadapted tofrictionally receive between them an electric lamp forilluminating the interior of said hollow ring member, and a plurality ofspaced translucent areas in the front of said ring member for permittinglight from the interior of said hollow member to shine therethrough.

ABRAHAM L. BUSCHMAN.

